Hydrotherapy apparatus

ABSTRACT

Hydrotherapy apparatus consisting of a portable unit which can be removably mounted in a bathtub or the like. The immersible portion of the unit contains pumping means and water conditioning means. Water from the bath flows into the immersible portion where it is heated or cooled and from there discharged into the bath. The non-immersible portion of the unit contains the necessary controls.

Umted States Patent 11 1 1111 3,911,505 Zaborowsky Oct. 14, 197 5 [54] HYDROTHERAPY APPARATUS 3,336,921 8/ 1967 Lloyd 4/180 X 3,411,499 11 1968 [76] Inventor: Walter E. Zaborowsky, 80-15 232nd 3 476 106 1969 SL, Queens Village, N.Y. 11427 3:4 3: 63 12/1'9 9 3,571,818 3/1971 [22] 1972 3,580,247 5/1971 Schneider 128/66 [21] App]. No.: 243,858

Related us. Application Data 22 W -g f g fi szstant xammerna assen erg [63] fggg t of Attorney, Agent, or FirmB1'yan, Parmelee, Johnson abandoned.

& Bollmger [52] US. Cl 4/178; 4/179 [51] Int. Cl A47k 3/10 [57] ABSTRACT [58] held of Search 4/ Hydrotherapy apparatus consisting of a portable unit which can be removably mounted in a bathtub or the like. The immersible portion of the unit contains [56] References C'ted pumping means and water conditioning means. Water UNITED STATES PATENTS from the bath flows into the immersible portion where 1,637,423 8/1927 Miller 128/66 UX it is heated or cooled and from there discharged into 2,559,678 7/1951 Schroeter 128/66 X the bath, The non-immersible portion of the unit con- Jacuzzi et a1. tains the necessary controls 3,292,615 12/1966 Bascomb et a1. 4/180 X 3,304,936 2/1967 Kosta 4/ 180 X '1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures I-IYDROTI-IERAPY APPARATUS This application is a continuation part of the application Ser. No. 719,419, filed Apr. 8, 1968, and since abandoned.

The present invention relates to a hydrotherapy apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a portable hydrotherapy unit which can be used in conjunction with a bathtub or with other open-topped bodies adapted to be partially filled with a supply of liquid.

In addition to the conventional commercial hydrotheraphy units, which are too expensive and too bulky to be of substantial use in an average household, a number of relatively inexpensive portable hydrotherapy devices, can be used to convert a bathtub into a hydrotherapy apparatus A problem generally connected with some of said devices, however, resides in the fact that they rely on direct mechanical mixing to obtain a uniform water temperature throughout the tub. Such direct mixing results in abnormal friction by the water on the skin of the user which may cause reddening thereof and, if the temperature of the water is sufficiently high, may produce actual burns. In addition, most of the units proposed for home use lack heating means and, of necessity, utilize hot water as it emerges from the tap. This deprives the use of another advantage of hydrotheraphy, namely, treatment with a liquid the temperature of which can be controlled from the lowest to the highest level of comfort.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a portable hydrotherapy unit which eliminates one or more of the disadvantages of prior art unit. It is another object of the invention to provide a simple and inexpensive hydrotherapy unit which can be removably mounted on a bathtub or the like and which will heat the water therein at a gradual rate and which will obtain uniform water temperatures throughout the body of water without producing undesirable mechanical friction on the skin of the user.

These and other objects of the invention will be part be obvious and in part become apparent to one skilled in the art in the light of the instant specification and appended claim.

In its broad aspect, the invention relates to a hydrotherapy apparatus adapted to be partly immersed beneath the surfaces of a body of liquid contained in an open-topped body adapted to be partially filled with a supply of liquid, said body including generally upright walls and a generally horizontal bottom, said apparatus comprising,

a. a first housing including generally upright walls and a generally horizontal bottom and top, said housing being formed with 1. fluid inlet means on the bottom thereof to permit fluid from said body to enter said housing, 2. at least onefluid outlet opening located in the wall in close proximity to the bottom thereof,

3. at least one fluid overflow opening located in the wall in close proximity to the top thereof, said housing containing therein fluid pumping and fluid conditioning means,

b. means for positioning said housing within said open-topped body adjacent one of said body walls,

0. a second housing containing therein driving and controlling means for the fluid pumping and temperature conditioning means located in said first housing.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the term bathtub is being used generically to denote any open-topped body adapted to hold a supply of liquid and normally used for bathing the entire body or parts thereof, such as feet. Therefore, the apparatus of the present invention can be constructed in various sizes, depending on whether it is to be used in conjunction with a large body, i.e., a standard bathtub, or a smaller body, i.e., a suitable wash-basin The present apparatus can best be described in connection with the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of one of the embodiments of the invention, shown mounted on a bathtub; FIG. 2 is the front view of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a simplified embodiment of a hydrotherapy apparatus, shown in sectional view, mounted on a bathtub.

As is apparent from FIG. 1, the unit of the present invention consists of a lower tank 10 and an upper tank 11 and is shown operatively mounted on bathtub 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, support of the unit on the bathtub rim is provided by constructing the upper tank so that the width thereof will be substantially wider than the inside width of the bathtub. This is better shown in FIG. 2, which is a front elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 1. This permits the lower section 13 of upper tank 11 to rest securely on the bathtub rim. It will be apparent, however, that other means can be provided for supporting the unit such as, for example, arms extending from the sides thereof past the rim of the bathtub.

Lower unit 10, on the other hand, having a width substantilly narrower than the width of the bathtub, is immersed in said bathtub with the bottom 14 thereof closely spaced from the bottom 15 of said bathtub.

The upper and lower tanks are separated from each other by water-impervious separator plate 16, positioned above the normal liquid level in the bathtub.

The entire unit described above can be constructed from an electrically-insulating and relatively inexpensive material of construction, such as high impact polyethlene, polystyrene or like materials.

Lower tank 10 is divided into a first section 17 and a second section 18 by generally upright separator plate 19. Said first section, which is located adjacent the end wall of the bathtub on which the unit is mounted, is provided at the bottom thereof with an opening 20 through which the bathtub water can flow and enter said section. Said opening 20 is preferably provided with a filter 21 which can be removed and cleaned at regular intervals.

Second section 18 of lower tank 10 is located toward the open end of the bathtub and communicates with first section 17 through fluid inlet opening 22 in separator plate 19.

Pump 23 is mounted within first section 17 adjacent fluid inlet opening 22 and can be activated to pump and circulate fluid through said opening from said first to said second section.

A fluid temperature conditioning means 24, such as a resistance heater, is located within second section 18, positioned between fluid outlet opening 25 and fluid overflow opening 26. This will ensure that said heater is always immersed in the liquid during operation of the device and assure good uniformity of temperature between the liquid streams exiting at 25 and 26.

The upper tank 11 is provided with a handle 27, which is used to carry the unit about, and with an electrical connector 28. In its simplest embodiment, the electrical connector 28 activates on-off switch 29 which in turn, through electrical leads 30 and 31, controls respectively pump driving means 32 and a rheostat 33. Pump driving means 32,which is normally a small electric motor, controls the operation of pump 23 through drive shaft 34. The rheostat 33 controls the flow of current to resistance heater 24 through lead 35.

In operation, the unit is immersed in a bathtub adjacent one end thereof, with openings 25 and 26 facing toward the open end of the bathtub.

Once the electrical connector 28 is plugged into a suitable receptacle and the bathtub is filled with water to the desired level, the user activates on-off switch 29 and sets the rheostat 33 to the desired voltage setting. Obviously, if desired, the rheostat dial can be properly calibrated to indicate the maximum water temperature obtainable at any particular setting.

Pump 23 will begin pumping water, which has entered first section 17 through fluid inlet and has reached the overall water level, into second section 18. In said second section 18, the water contacts heater 24 and, once it reaches overflow outlet 26, begins to overflow into the tub 12. In the meantime, due to the pumping action of pump 23, water is forcibly expelled from said second section through fluid outlet opening 25. The water exiting from opening causes an overall mixing in the tub and consequently tends to result in a uniform water temperature throughout said tub.

As the circulation of water past heater 24 continues, the temperature thereof increases until the desired level is reached.

Once the temperature of the water, which is constantly and gradually moving toward the maximum desired level, reaches said level, the user moves the rheostat to a zero reading. Thus, the pump keeps on operating permitting the user to continue the treatment as long as he wishes.

As indicated above, FIG. 3 shows a simpler version of an apparatus of the invention, which is shown mounted on bathtub 36 by means of screw clamp 37.

The apparatus consists of lower housing 38 integrally connected with upper housing 39 and separated therefrom by water-impervious plate 390.

Handle 40 is used to carry the unit about. Plug 41 is used to operatively connect the unit to a source of electrical power.

The lower, or immersible, housing has an inlet opening 42 on the bottom thereof and a vibrating pump 43 positioned next to said opening. The pump is electrically connected to on-off switch 44 through electrical lead 45. Also positioned with said lower housing is heater 46 which is electrically connected to rheostat 47 through lead 48.

Said lower housing is also provided with one or more fluid overflow opening 49 and fluid outlet openings 50.

The operation of the unit of FIG. 3 is essentially the same as previously described in connection with the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 and no further explanation is deemed necessary.

It will become apparent to one skilled in the art that,

while the invention has been described in its simplest embodiment, many refinements can be added thereto, I

adding to the usefulness and convenience thereof.

For example, to increase the mixing efficiency of the device, the overflow of conditioned fluid from 26 can be directed away from said device by means of an inclined channel or pipe to a position substantially removed from said device. This furthertends to eliminate hot or cold spots and contributes to the temperature uniformity of the body of fluid.

Other auxiliary devices, such as timers and thermostats may also be used in conjunction with the present device without departing from the spirit and scope of a. lower and upper tanks forming an integral unit having generally upright side walls and a generally I horizontal bottom; b. means for positioning said unit within said body adjacent one of said body walls, with the bottom of said unit closely spaced fromthe bottom of said I body;

c. a water-impervious separator plate between said 1 upper and lower tanks positioned above the liquid level in said body; d. said lower tank comprising:

1. a first section immediately adjacent the wall of said body upon which the unit is positioned;

2. a second section substantially removed from said wall;

3. a generally upright separator plate separating said first section from said second section and having a fluid inlet opening therein;

4. fluid inlet means on the bottom of said first sec-,

tion adapted to permit fluid from said body to enter said first section;

5. pumping means for pumping fluid from said first section to the second section through the fluid inlet opening in the separator plate;

6. fluid temperature conditioning means contained within said second section;

7. at least one fluid outlet opening located in the wall of said second section in close proximity to the bottom thereof; and

8. at least one fluid overflow opening located in the wall of said second section above the liquid level of fluid within the body;

e. said upper tank containing therein driving and controlling means for the pumping means and fluid temperature conditioning means located in said lower tank. 

1. Hydrotherapy apparatus adapted to be partly immersed in an open-topped body adapted to be partially filled with a supply of liquid, said body including generally upright walls and a generally horizontal bottom, said apparatus comprising: a. lower and upper tanks forming an integral unit having generally upright side walls and a generally horizontal bottom; b. means for positioning said unit within said body adjacent one of said body walls, with the bottom of said unit closely spaced from the bottom of said body; c. a water-impervious separator plate between said upper and lower tanks positioned above the liquid level in said body; d. said lower tank comprising:
 1. a first section immediately adjacent the wall of said body upon which the unit is positioned;
 2. a second section substantially removed from said wall;
 3. a generally upright separator plate separating said first section from said second section and having a fluid inlet opening therein;
 4. fluid inlet means on the bottom of said first section adapted to permit fluid from said body to enter said first section;
 5. pumping means for pumping fluid from said first section to the second section through the fluid inlet opening in the separator plate;
 6. fluid temperature conditioning means contained within said second section;
 7. at least one fluid outlet opening located in the wall of said second section in close proximity to the bottom thereof; and
 8. at least one fluid overflow opening located in the wall of said second section above the liquid level of fluid within the body; e. said upper tank containing therein driving and controlling means for the pumping means and fluid temperature conditioning means located in said lower tank.
 2. a second section substantially removed from said wall;
 3. a generally upright separator plate separating said first section from said second section and having a fluid inlet opening therein;
 4. fluid inlet means on the bottom of said first section adapted to permit fluid from said body to enter said first section;
 5. pumping means for pumping fluid from said first section to the second section through the fluid inlet opening in the separator plate;
 6. fluid temperature conditioning means contained within said second section;
 7. at least one fluid outlet opening located in the wall of said second section in close proximity to the bottom thereof; and
 8. at least one fluid overflow opening located in the wall of said second section above the liquid level of fluid within the body; e. said upper tank containing therein driving and controlling means for the pumping means and fluid temperature conditioning means located in said lower tank. 